Much is known and the significance of calcium to nutrition in general is not in question. However, many specific biological processes involving calcium and its availability from various sources, are not fully understood based on current research. See in this regard, The Surgeon General's Report On Nutrition and Health, 1988, e.g., at pages 316-317, relating to calcium absorption and retention.
Whey, as it is conventionally available, has been used as an ingredient for human and animal foods. See for example, G. Ranhotra, "Use Of Whey And Whey Products In Baked Goods", Technical Bulletin, Volume XVII, Issue Nov. 11, 1995. It is noted that conventionally-available whey products as described there have low protein, fat and ash contents. The ash contents are indicative of calcium concentrations of from about 1 to 2%, typical for commercial whey.
With typical, low contents of calcium and high concentrations of lactose, commercial sweet whey is often suggested for use in low amounts (2 to 6% of flour) in yeast-leavened bakery products to improve crust color tenderize crumb and improve color. The low calcium content balanced by the high lactose content makes it an impractical source of calcium for supplementing baked goods or other foods.
In distinction to conventional whey, a variety of modified whey products have been proposed for a number of food supplements. As noted above, and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,283, to Moreno, et al., whey can be concentrated to improve its protein content to make it more suitable for use as a protein supplement. In the noted patent disclosure, the protein is also specially treated to make it more stable in an acid beverage. However, the product is so low in remaining calcium as to make it impractical as a calcium supplement.
A number of whey-derived supplements have been proposed for mammals other than humans. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,956, Juengst, et al., describe the use of fermented ammoniated condensed whey, mixed with calcium salts, as a feed supplement for ruminant animals. The supplement will be substantially more expensive than whey simply because it calls for a multi-step process in which whey is fermented in the presence of ammonia, concentrated and dried. The product is most suitable for ruminants, but would not be of wide use as a human food supplement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,386, Chambers, et al., describe another attempt to take advantage of whey for animal feed. There, whey is concentrated to a solids content of at least 45% and mixed with an additive such as calcium phosphate. After acidifying the mixture, it is dried and formed. Again, this product would not seem to have wide use as a human food ingredient or supplement. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,325, to Miller, for another whey product used as a feed supplement, and the citation of a number of related references.
Several other patents describe the use of whey products for dietary supplementation. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,387, Uiterwaal, et al., describe a nutritional supplement for pregnant women that can contain whey and is said to offer a number of nutritional advantages, including increased the birth weight. The composition is, however, quite complex and costly as compared to whey, which is a low-cost byproduct of cheese making. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,639, to Jameson, et al. Unlike Uiterwaal, et al., who add casein back to whey after separation, Jameson, et al., have the objective of avoiding separation of the whey during the cheese making process. As with many prior art processes, Uiterwaal, et al., add calcium as a supplement apart from the whey--they do not use whey as the calcium source.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,856, Clark describes some important factors concerning calcium in human nutrition and proposes a nondairy supplement to supply calcium, magnesium and potassium in a beverage solution. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,506, an extensive literature review of the subject of calcium supplementation of human foods is provided. Among the recognized calcium supplements are listed calcium carbonate, calcium lactate and calcium citrate. The above-cited patents and all of the references cited therein are hereby, specifically incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
There remains a need for a calcium supplement that has high biological value and can be used in practical amounts in a wide variety of foods for functional effect. There further remains a need for a regimen for calcium supplementation that utilizes a calcium supplement of high biological value.